Plaiting attachment for sewing-machines.



Nb. 65|,463. Patented lune I2, I900.-

A. LAUBSBHER.

PLAITING ATTACHMENT FOB SEWING MACHINES.

(Application filed, July 14, 1899.) 7

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

\Zl vlliimesses Invenfar M24 5! AMA QZy g Attorney No; 65l,463. Patehted lune' l2, I900.

A. LAUBSBHER; I

PLAITING ATTABHMENT FORSEWING MACHINES.

' (Application filed July 14, 1899.) (-No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

fllimesses' M I fgll by UNrTEn STATES FFICE.

PATENT ALEXANDER LAUBSCI-IER, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE TVI'IEELER & IVILSON MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

PLAlTING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

.SPEGIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 651 ,463, dated June 12, 1900.

' Application filed July 14, 1899. Serial No. 723,879. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER LAUB SCHER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invent ed certain new and useful Improvements in Plait-Folders for Sewing-Machine's, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to produce an apparatus for automaticallyfoldin g plaits in fabrics while the same are being stitched, which is capable of passing the successive plaits onward either to the right or left of the needle, as desired, and which may be quickly adjusted to produce any width of plait or spaces between the same, whether in equidistant plaits or equidistant clusters of the same.

In the accompanying drawings thevarious parts of my invention are shown in Figure 1 complete in perspective, with members so separated as to show clearly their construction. In Fig. 2 my device is shown in perspective as applied to a sewing-machine of the Wheeler & WVilson pattern, only so much of the latter being shown, however, as is sufiicient to show the manner of applying my invention thereto. Fig. 3 shows same as in use with partiallystitched fabric inserted, with the plaits passing successively to the left; and Fig. 4, the same with plaits passing successively to the right.

The sewing-machine to which my invention is in this case applied is of the hemstitch variety, as called; but the device is equally applicable to the plain-stitching or any other variety of machines.

As a foundation for my device I employ a plate of suitable thickness and Width for proper stability and practically the length of the space under the bracket-arm A of the sewing-machine, which I will term a baseplate, as shown at C, and secure the same detachably, by means of the screws 79 b or otherwise, to the bed-plate B of the sewing-machine. Upon this base-plate and permanently attached to the same I erect the bracket D, and

through a hole made longitudinally through its upper end I insert and permanently secure the guide-rod E.

Sliding freely upon the guide-rod E, I place a sleeve having a depending and a horizontally-extended limb, and to the lower end of the first I attach a sheet-steel plate for purposes hereinafter explained, and this sleeve, with its extended limbs and plate, I will term the seam-guide F, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2.

Upon the guide-rodE, to the right of the seam-guide F, I place an adjusting-bracket, (shown at G,) which is held where placed by means of the set-screw g. The bracket G is forked at its outer end, and the horizontallyextended limb slides freely therein, by which means it will be seen that the seam-guide F is prevented from turning, though sliding freely upon the guide-rod E when occasion requires.

To the under side of the sleeve of the seamguide F, I permanently attach a .catch-sprin g,

(shown at I-I,) whose upturned end enters a notch therefor in the adjusting-bracket G,

which prevents any side movement of the slide freely upon the same I mount the spaceguide bracket J, which may beheld where set by means of its thumb-screw 7t and is prevented from turning upon the rod by the check-nut-held screw I, which enters a groove therein, and to the lower end of the bracket J, I attach the outwardly and backwardly extending plate or blade J which I term the left-hand space-guide, and also an upright and backwardly-extending blade J which I term the right-hand space-guide. Upon the guide-rod E, on each side of the bracket J, I place the adjustable stops 0 and 0 for purposes hereinafter explained.

The plait-guide P (best shown in Fig. 1) consists of two plates joined by a connecting member. When in position the narrower plate slides within a groove made in the baseplate C for its reception and is held therein by the lever-turned screw 19. The screw p passes through a slot in that portion of the plait-guide in order that when loosened the plait-guide may be set to right or left, as oocasion may require. The wider portion of the plait-guide P stands far enough above the bed-plate B of the sewing-machine to permit the folded cloth and the blade of the scamguide F to pass beneath, and the overhanging portion stands in such relation to the needle as to act as a guide for the plait laid in the fabric, as its name would indicate.

To limit the movement of the plait-guide P in the groove of the base-plate C, I place within said groove a sliding stop 8, held bya screw .9, for purposes hereinafter explained.

The operation of my invention is as follows: The plait-guide P is so placed that its right- .hand edge will stand as far to the right of the needle as it is desired to have the width of plait and there secured by tightening the screw 19, and the sliding stop S is then brought up again st it and there fastened by tightening the screw 8. The adjusting-bracket G is then so moved upon the guide-rod E as to carry the guiding edge of the seam-guide F slightly to the left of the needle and there secured by tightening the set-screw g. The bracket J is then so moved upon the same that the spaceguide J will stand as far to the left of the needle as it is desired to have the lines of the stitches apart and there fastened by its thumbscrew 7a, and the stop 0 is tightly setagainst it, so that the bracket J may be returned to the same position when movement therefrom is required. Toinsert the fabric, the spring-catch H is depressed and the seam-guide F drawn back. The cloth is then laid fiat upon the plaitguide P and beneath the space-guide J and the seam-guide F. The seam-guide F is then advanced, carrying with it a fold of the fabric beneath the plait-guide P, until the springcatch II engages the bracket G, which insures ,the properlocation of the fold in relation to the needle, and the fabric is then advanced until its forward edge will be caught by the action of the feed-dog of the sewing-machine. In guiding the fabric for the first seam its edge, and thereafter the seam of each successive plait, is made to coincide with the outer edge of the space-guide J. When it is desired to lay the plaits in clusters, the stop 0 is set as far forward of the bracket J as width of space is desired between the clusters, and after making the desired number of plaits the bracket is set forward against the stop 0' for first plait and then returned and kept in first position until the completion of another cluster. Being once set, the

stops 0 and o insure perfectuniforinity in spaces between both plaits and clusters until the completion of the work. This procedure, which passes the successively-laid plaits-onward to the left, is the most successful and is generally practiced when quantities of cloth are stitched in plaits before cutting into smaller pieces in the manufacture of garments, as none of the finished portion need pass under the guide-bracket or the guide-rod E of the apparatus, and the stitched plait overlapping the edge of the space-guide J makes the most substantial guideway for the passage of the latter which to my knowledge has been obtained; but in the plaiting of aprons and the like, which must first be hemmed and the plaits of which must not only hang downward, but also be exactly parallel with the hem, it becomes necessary to pass the successive plaits onward to the right and therefore to provide other means for the guiding of the fabric, For such plaiting I discard the use of the space-guide J and employ the space-guide J In this class of work the cloth is entered substantially as in that before described; but the hem of the garment passes beneath the sean1- guide F and the space-guide J and its upper edge (or the line of stitching in same) is kept directly beneath the lower edge of the space-guide J which then serves as the gage by which the fabric is guided in stitching the first plait, and thereafter each successive plait following the same course serves the same purpose, as may be seen in Fig. 4.

In making plaits in clusters the stops 0 and 0 are used for so locating the space-guide J 2 as to give the desired results, the same as in the process heretofore explained. In the plaiting of pillowcases and the like, whose side seams have been previously sewed, it will be seen that the starting end of each seam will be obstructed by the plait-guide P. To obviate this, the screw 19 is loosened, and by means of the upturned thumb-piece at its outer end the plait-guide P is withdrawn to permit the passage of the scam and returned to first p0- sition-a'. c., against the stop s-bcfore starting the next plait.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In. a plait-folder for sewing-machines, the combination of the base-plate, the sliding plait gage or guide adjustably secured thereon, an adjustable slide or stop carried by said base-plate against which said plait-gage is adapted to abut when in operative position, whereby the latter may be returned to a predetermined adjusted position after having been withdrawn therefrom to permit of the unobstructed feeding of the fabric in the completion of an endless plait in a skirt, pillowcase, or other article which has been previously side-seamed, a space-gage adapted to cooperate with separately-adjustable stops, for the purpose specified, a seam-guide adapted to cooperate with an adjustable stop, means, as a latch, whereby said seam-guide may be secured to said stop when in operative position, and means for supporting said space-gage and seam-guide in proper position, substantially as set forth.

2. In a plait-folder for sewing-machines, the combination of a base-plate, the sliding plaitgage secured adjustably thereon by means of a set-screw, an adj ustablc slide or stop carried by said base-plate against which hand and a left-hand space-guide, and means said plait-gage is adapted to abut when in for supporting said gages in proper position, operative position whereby the latter may be substantially as set forth. returned to a predetermined adjusted posi- Signed at Bridgeport, in the county of Fair- 5 tion after having been Withdrawn therefrom field and State of Connecticut, this 15th day 15 to permit of the unobstructed feeding of the of May, A. D. 1899.

fabric in the completion of an endless plait ALEXANDER LAUBSOI-IER. in a skirt, pillow-case, or other article which Witnesseszhas been previously side=seamed,a seam-gage, A. STEWARD,

[O a space gage equipped with both a right- 0. N. WVORTHEN. 

